Lance Franklin and Tom Papley each boot five goals as Sydney thrashes West Coast Eagles
As Lance Franklin lit up the SCG, the Sydney Swans also returned to their best against West Coast, their thumping win raising eyebrows across the AFL.
“Pretty special” was John Longmire’s verdict after five goals apiece from Lance Franklin and Tom Papley blew away the West Coast Eagles yesterday in front of a season-high crowd for the Swans.
The red and whites triumphed 18.8 (116) to 10.11 (71) to the delight of 36,640 fans on a glorious afternoon.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHAT ADAM SIMPSON SAID
“One of the better wins I can remember,” Longmire said.
“We felt over the last five weeks we’ve been playing better footy.
“To do what we did today with probably five or six regular players out of the senior team to start with, was just fantastic. To be able to do that today against last year’s premiers was pretty special. Leaders played well, young players really showed some promise and part of developing is also winning. So to get some reward from that was great.
“It’s just been building but you’ve got to do it.”
Mick Malthouse in radio commentary said Franklin’s form and fitness was ‘ominous’ for opposing sides down the track.
“He now looks like the Franklin that we know,” Malthouse said. “He’s back in form.”
He was also hugely impressed with Papley’s contribution.
Jake Lloyd, Isaac Heeney, George Hewett, Dane Rampe and Luke Parker all impressed with Lloyd leading the way (42 disposals, nine marks, three tackles)
For the visitors, Josh Kennedy kicked three and Liam Ryan two with Dom Sheed and Andrew Gaff, the visitors best in the middle but it simply wasn’t enough.
SCORES, STATS: SWANS HUMBLE REIGNING PREMIER
It was 20 years since the Eagles last tasted victory at the SCG. Make that 21.
FLYING START
On a gloriously sunny early winter’s afternoon the Swans made a tremendous start against the reigning premiers.
Just 53 seconds on the clock. Bang. Franklin. Six points in the bag. Tom McCartin and James Rose, the latter with a cracker from outside 50, also produced majors as the home fans roared their early approval.
The disposals chart was awash with red and white names but back came the Eagles with a quick-fire treble, two for Kennedy and one for Ryan.
The visitors were suddenly in front but shortly before the siren Tom Papley restored the home side’s lead from a tight angle.
DIZZYING STUFF
Colin O’Riordan went off pretty groggily after a sling tackle early in the second quarter from Willie Rioli and promptly headed for a concussion test before Reid extended the lead to 13 points. As the half drew to a close Franklin notched his hat-trick with a cracker as the home side looked to pull away again. And Reid was in no mood to let Franklin hog all the headlines as he too completed his treble as the main break loomed. The Swans went into halftime 9.6 (60) and 6.3 (39), leading disposals 212-143 74-64 in contested possessions.
RAMPE’S MILESTONE TRIUMPH
It’s been an eventful few weeks for the Swans co-captain.
Hugging goalposts and an ill-advised chat with an umpire was bad enough. Then a costly late error against Collingwood. But fall apart? Not this bloke.
Well, sorry Dane. One more mention.
Rampe celebrated his day with enjoying 32 disposals, 12 marks and two tackles.
The third quarter started in impressive fashion with Papley grabbing his third of the occasion as the gap was extended to 37 points.
Callum Sinclair also found his shooting boots, slotting one through as the end of the third term approached. Then, who else? Buddy again. Four for the afternoon.
Aliir Aliir then saved a certain goal, with the review confirming his heroics, as the Eagles desperately searched for a way back into the contest.
There was none.
Parker and Papley found the target and any lingering doubts were put to bed.
FITTING FOR REG
The last time the teams met at the SCG it marked Heath Grundy’s 250th appearance.
On Sunday evening it was a halftime lap of honour to say his goodbyes as the Swans produced the kind of Warrior-like display they had so wanted to serve up for a loyal servant.
SYDNEY 4.1 9.6 14.7 18.8 (116) def WEST COAST 3.2 6.3 7.8 10.11 (71)
Goals: Sydney: L Franklin 5 T Papley 5 S Reid 3 C Sinclair G Hewett J Rose L Parker T McCartin
West Coast: J Kennedy 3 L Ryan 2 W Rioli 2 J Darling J McGovern J Waterman
Best: Sydney: T Papley L Franklin J Lloyd D Rampe L Parker C Mills
West Coast: J Redden D Sheed B Sheppard L Ryan L Jetta
Official Crowd: 36,640 at SCG.
JON RITSON’S VOTES:
3 — Tom Papley (Syd)
2 — Lance Franklin (Syd)
1 — Jake Lloyd (Syd)
ADAM SIMPSON: WE’LL TAKE 8-4, BUT WE NEED TO GET BETTER
For the second time this AFL season, West Coast are anxiously awaiting match review officerMichael Christian’s interpretation of a sling tackle resulting in concussion.
Sydney defender Colin O’Riordan was left dazed after his head hit the SCG turf during the second quarter, having been tackled to the ground by Eagles forward Willie Rioli.
West Coast ruckman Nathan Vardy also faces a nervous wait, having made contact with Jackson Thurlow’s head after opting tobump in the second term. Thurlow, like O’Riordan, played no part in the second half of Sunday’s contest. Rioli’s teammate Lewis Jetta copped a one-game suspension after round nine, having slung Melbourne’s Tim Smith to the ground in similar fashion.
“We lost a player this year through a similar incident, so we just have to work our way through that,” Eagles coach Adam Simpson said after Sunday’s 45-point loss.
“Has he been reported? Let’s wait until that happens, if that happens. “It’s a difficult one to interpret. Difficult one to execute sometimes, when you’ve got players around the waist or their arms are free, and you know they’re going to handball.
“A bit of that is method. A bit of it is just the situation you’re in and you have to think your way through it.”
In more positive news for the reigning premiers, ahead of a bye, Simpson suggested club champion Elliot Yeo, captain Shannon Hurn, defender Tom Barrass and ruckman Nic Naitanui should return soon from injury.
“They’ll find themselves back in the side pretty quick,” Simpson said, still seething after his side’s lopsided defeat.
“We’re 8-4, in the top four going into our week off. That’s great - we’ll take that.
“But it’s hard to get past tonight. We need to look at what we did, how we went about it and reflect.
“We’ll spend the week off looking at where we’re at as a club and a team - what we need to get better at, because we need to get better.”
- AAP
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